Last words from Liz :)

Things I've learned from our journeys, in no particular order:

Lonely Planet is awesome! I will never travel anywhere without buying their guidebook first!

If I ever want to feel like a celebrity, just go to China. I can have paparazzi follow me and be in millions of pictures a day (with Chinese people of course).

Don't blow up your hair dryer the first day of your trip in Hong Kong! Not sure what I did and how to avoid it, but I'll have to keep my fingers crossed next trip!

Take anxiety meds to China. The amount of people in the metro at any given time is overwhelming and unbelievable haha.

Don't try to learn Chinese before your trip, you will fail. Just stay with Jenny and Steve, who are amazing at mandarin!

Bargaining in Australia won't work, however in China, don't pay anymore than 40 Yuan (approx. 6 US dollars) for anything! It probably is only worth 10 Yuan to start with.

Don't go to the toilet without tissues and expect a hole in the ground. Throw away ALL shoes worn in China as you depart the country. You will understand why if you ever go there!

Don't eat dog or bamboo rat in China... Yes, you will see them on the menu so please don't eat them.

Don't travel with headbands. I managed to break about one a week. They look good but don't travel well!

Don't travel with 100 lbs of luggage. It just doesn't work no matter how many bags you fit it into. Also, shipping 50 lbs of that home will cost you a pretty penny. I found out the hard way!

I didn't realize how much I loved cinnamon toast until I didn't have it anymore. Thanks Jenny and Steve for such a delicious breakfast every morning!

Don't starve yourself in China and then go to Australia and eat EVERYTHING and lay on the beach all day. You will gain 10 pounds ahhh.

Australians really do drink tea like it's their job! We were drinking about 8 cups a day.

Don't buy 4 hot water bottles in Australia and mail them home. My mom said my grandma probably still has theirs from before they had electricity! So apparently I won't be bringing a new trend to America haha whoops. I still think they are great and use one every night!

Don't go on a 3 day/ 3 night sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands during the wet season. There is a reason it is called the "wet" season. You will make friends with the bartender very quickly.

Don't walk into a store in America looking for flip flops and ask, where the thongs are... However, in Australia the best way to find the flip-flops is to ask for thongs. It just did not sound right no matter how many times we said it.

Koalas are fussy!

Ice cream cones are seriously addictive, especially from McDonalds, Hungry Jack, and KFC. They are also budget friendly at 25 cents in China and 50 cents in Australia.

Don't go to China without climbing the Great Wall and don't go to Australia without snorkeling or scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. These are two MUST see/ do things and places, and by far the most amazing things we did in China and Australia in my opinion!

I could probably write reviews for Airlines since I have taken 16 flights in the past 3 months.

Don't fly into the Chicago airport in the middle of winter with snow on the ground, inappropriately dressed. I was wearing flip-flops, a tank top, and a great tan! I only had clothes for summer weather since I was coming from Australia... Not smart!

Everyone is so kind, friendly, and willing to go out of their way to help in China and Australia. It's so nice to see and be a part of. Makes you realize how bad people are in America, when you fly into the Chicago airport from Hong Kong and spend an hour in the security line. Americans really show their true colors then, and all I could think about is how to get away from them and back to being surrounded by polite, nice Aussies with their "no worries" attitude.

Traveling is like an itch you need to scratch. All I can think about is where I want to go next or go back to!

I learned how much I missed living with Jes. She was the greatest friend ever to travel around with for 2 months and I CANNOT thank her enough for letting me come on this trip with her. Also, a huge thanks to all of Jes' family for everything from accommodations, transportation, entertainment, lovely conversations, tours, meals, and so much more! Without you guys, this trip would not have been possible so thanks again, I really appreciate your generosity! It has truly been the best thing I have ever done and a life-changing trip!

In closing, I wanted to share a little "Aussie slang" list I have put together throughout our time in Oz. It has been reviewed and approved by many Aussies and a few Kiwis (some NZ slang included). Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading and following us as we travelled around the world. We had a great time keeping this blog. Cheers!

Next destination: TBD :)



Aussie Slang!

G’Day
How you going?
Whippersnipper= weed whacker
No worries
Hot water bottle
Kiwi= New Zealander
Rubbish bin= trash can
Jumper= sweater
Weetbix
Oz= Australia
Proper
Thongs= flip-flops
Maccas= McDonalds
Prawns= shrimp
Sunnies
Bloody oath= bloody hell
Fussy koalas
Fiddly
Car bonnet and boot= hood and trunk
Chillie bin and esky= cooler
Chesty or singlet= wife beater or tank top
Best mate
Hungry jacks= burger king
Nappie= diaper
Petrol= gas
Lollies= candy
Dodgy= sketchy
Dearo= dirty, rubbishy
Cool as, sweet as etc.
Good as
Pushbike vs motorbike
Melways/sydways/brisways= road map of that city
Bogan= red neck
Toilet vs bathroom
Doona= comforter
Carced it= died/dead
Cotton bud= qtip
Pram= luxury stroller
Biscuits= cookies
Mum
Cuppa= cup of tea
Chuck a sicky= call in sick
Heaps= tons or a lot
Gyro, kebob= kebabs
Torch= flashlight
Note= bill/money
Good on you= good job, good for you
What do ya reckon?
Dosh= money
Hanging around like a bad smell
Cheers
Diber-dobber= tattle-tale
Car park= parking lot
Car port= garage
Lane way= alley way
On special= on sale
Tea= dinner
Boxing day= day after Christmas
Cheeky monkey
Ute= utility vehicle/ pick up truck
Duva= thingamajig
Bathers or togs= bathing suit
CBF= can't be bothered
Nar= no
Ta= thank you
Stack= fall off, crash
Sheila= girl
Bloke= guy
Pokies= slot machines with push button
Brekky= breakfast
Barbie= BBQ
Eh= don’t you agree?
Jandals= flip-flops
Uni= university/college
Chuck a U-ey= make a U-turn
Icy pole= popsicle
Schoolies= high school kids
Mozzies= mosquitoes

Final Days and Ending Thoughts- Jes

Tibetan Thanksgiving

When I got to China it was the real Thanksgiving. It was wonderful that I got to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Steve and I went to Jenny's school and talked to her students about Thanksgiving. I got a chance to say goodbye to one of the sweet Chinese women who took us to the beach weeks earlier. After Jenny was off work, we went to have a Tibetan Thanksgiving Feast. Tibetan food was my new favorite food we had in China.

Jenny Teaching Her Students About Thanksgiving

It was really strange not being with Liz anymore. I felt like I was missing my second half as I spent my last two days walking around in China. We managed to get her stuff shipped home really cheap, so everything was coming together for her extended trip. 

Tibetan Show

My last night, Jenny and Steve through an Asian Games Ending Ceremonies party. It was great to meet some more of their friends. I attempted to make brushetta but it didn't turn out like I expected. The fireworks for the Asian games closing ceremony were amazing from Jenny and Steve's balcony, they really have an amazing view. The next day they took me into Hong Kong and to Llama Island where they lived when they first moved to China. It was an adorable little town, full of boutiques and a variety of people. There were a lot of British people living there, and Jenny mentioned that it would be a good place for a writer to go and think.

This morning I hopped on a bus to a plane to Chicago. Now I'm sitting her in the Chicago airport waiting for my connecting flight back to DC. Its a weird feeling. My mom asked me if it felt different to be back in the U.S. Its a weird feeling because I am happy to get my life started (with work and an apartment), but it seems like every time I come home from abroad, a little part of me stays there. It was an amazing trip, I experienced so much and I learned so much. It changed the way I look at the world, and I will always remember my experiences. I hope I'll be back, but until then the pictures, blog entries and post cards will have to remind me. 

Last Days in Australia

Tuesday morning I was a little sad as we packed up and left Phillip Island. We were leaving the little island AND it was my last full day in Australia. We cleaned up and headed out to make a lunch Polly was hosting at her house. The guest of honor was my uncle Lex's girlfriend, Selena, who had flown in just a few days earlier from South Carolina to visit. This was the first time most of us had met her, and we found her to be lovely. It was also a little weird hearing another American accent that didn't belong to Josh, Liz or me. Polly made my favorite for lunch, her famous tuna casserole. After we ate and had some dessert, we played outside in the gorgeous summer weather. Its so funny how entertaining kids are. Playing with my cousins kept us busy for hours.

When Lex and Selena left we got a text from Lex asking if anyone had noticed the ring on Selena's finger! We didn't even realize that they were engaged!!!! We were thrilled to hear about it. We all were super hyper (especially Shae!) and had a blast playing cards and hanging out for the rest of the day. It ended up being a pretty perfect last day in Australia.

Josh and I at the Airport

The next morning we got up early and Josh and Emily took us to the airport. It was sad saying goodbye to Polly, Jim and the little ones. I feel like they will be so much bigger next time I get to see them. Josh and Emily were dropping me off at the airport and then taking Liz into the city where she was meeting her friend, Will. It was so sad to say goodbye to everyone. I teared up a little bit as I saw my Liz and my brother and Emily drive away. It was technically the end of one of the most amazing trip. I was headed back to Hong Kong and China where I would pack up my stuff and fly out a few days later to go home, and Liz was headed to New Zealand and some more beautiful Australia beaches.

Phillp Island Day Two

The "Nobbies"

We got up the next day and after breakfast headed to a place on Phillip Island called "the nobbies." On a good day you can see seals sun bathing on the rocks on the nobbies. We didn't get to see any seals but there was plenty of wildlife to see. As we walked on the boardwalk down the hill there was a sign of warning about Copperhead snakes. It said to leave them alone if we saw them, and to be careful because there was no particular anti-venom. What is up with Australia and all the snakes?!? As we walked down the path we saw millions of seagulls (one attacked Liz!) and under the boardwalk there were tons of little penguins waiting for their families to come home with food. The view was almost as beautiful as the place we went to yesterday, but not quite. 

After the Nobbies we went into Cowes, the biggest town on Phillip Island. We made plans to meet Emily's grandparents for lunch. They were an adorable couple and we enjoyed hanging out with them for a couple hours. Emily's grandmother calls her "Ems" so for the rest of the day we kept referring to her as "Em's" in a Australian-British grandmother's accent. They were a lovely couple, though, and after lunch we went to look at some Opp Shops (second hand shops) and Liz went to the internet cafe. Liz had officially decided to stay in Australia for a couple extra weeks and although I was so sad to have to leave her, I was really excited about all the stuff she was going to see. She had to take care of some business at home so she could stay. After the Opp Shops we did some light souvenir shopping and then headed back to the house and then back to the beach. It was beach weather so Liz and I sunbathed while Josh and Emily played in the water. We grabbed some delicious pizza for dinner and at 7:30 Emily and Josh drove Liz and I to the Penguin Parade. I remember reading in a guidebook that the native Phillip Island people are the only Australians who HAVEN'T attended the islands Penguin Parade. Josh and Emily didn't go because they'd seen it a few times but Liz and I were thrilled as we watched the little penguins come from the ocean to their homes on the shore. As we walked out of the pavilion there were hundreds of little penguins within reach. The way they waddled was so adorable that I decided they were my second favorite animal (behind polar bears). When Josh and Emily came to pick us up a couple hours later they saw a little penguin scurrying around the parking lot. We were so bummed we couldn't capture their cuteness on camera (all photography and video is banned), but I know the image of the cute little penguins will stick in my head for long time.

First Day in Phillip Island

 Saturday afternoon Emily came to pick us up and we left for Phillip Island. After picking up Josh at the bakery and a brief stop by McDonalds, we drove about an hour and a half before we were on the island. I'd been to Phillip Island on my last Australia trip but I remembered loving the little island so I was thrilled when Emily invited us to stay at her house there.

Spring Break!!!!

The house was adorable. It was cozy but there was still a lot of sleeping space! When we arrived we just hung out, drank some cider (our new fave!) and finished Underbelly. The next morning we got up, had breakfast and headed out to the beach. It wasn't exactly bikini weather (low 70s) but it was an awesome sunny day. We decided to go on a walk and see the sights on one of the nature trails. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. There was a plethora of colors all around. To the right was the really amazingly blue water. The waves were huge and there were lots of surfers in wet suits enjoying them. Next to the sand were red cliffs, on the top of which were beautiful green shrubs and foliage, with amazing flowers and hills. We decided to do the entire walk that was going to take about 4 hours. It actually even took us a little longer because the view was so amazing. Part of the walk was through the bush. We'd heard there were lots of kangaroos and lizards along the path so as we walked we looked around for them. Josh walked off the beaten path for a few minutes and called us over saying there was a kangaroo. We didn't believe him but we followed anyways and sure enough there was a beautiful wallaby with a joey in its pouch!!

That's Josh on that Hill!

We walked to the other side of the cliffs and saw a spectacular view of the mainland and the cliff next to beaches. The water was amazingly clear. I imagine the coast of Phillip Island is similar to the coast of California. Huge cliffs next to small beaches of white sand and crystal clear blue water. We finally made it up to the peak and laid on some rocks for about 45 minutes basking in the sun. The view was spectacular and it was such an amazing spot that none of us wanted to leave. On the beginning of our two hour walk back to the beach where the car was parked we were walking along the path and Liz calmly says, "hey guys there's a snake!" We all did different things at that point. LIz kept walking nonchalantly as if it were a bird, Josh stopped immediately in front of it and pulled out his camera, and Emily started jogging away. I screamed and started running as fast as I could. In my head I was recalling Darren, my cousins husband, telling stories about the famous King snakes that hunt you down when they see you. I started screaming at Josh to back up and stop taking pics!!! He started laughing and told us that it was not a snake, it was two blue lizards on top of each other. We all went back and he was right. I swear it looked like a giant black snake coiled up. We laughed about it for a while and then kept going.

We saw about a million other lizards as we were walking back to the beach. They were all black, about a foot long, and all of them had a light blue tongue. Josh got some great pics. As we walked back to the beach, the view was even more amazing as we could see pinnacles in the water and caves underneath the cliffs and pinnacles. Its a really dangerous beach to swim in at most places but it was so beautiful. We headed back and had some afternoon tea and put the pics Josh had taken on the TV so we could see them all. We went to the store to get some sausages to cook up, and then played Onze, had some ciders and hung out for the rest of the night.

Our Australian Thanksgiving

The Melbourne Family

Shae and Luke Curious About Thanksgiving Food

Today was one of my favorite days in Melbourne. Liz, Emily, Josh and I prepared a Thanksgiving feast for our entire Melbourne family. It was awesome! This was one of the those times that it really came in handy to have a brother who is a chef! We spent all day cooking, cleaning and preparing Thanksgiving dinner. None of us had ever cooked a turkey before but we decided it was an absolute necessity for Thanksgiving. It was so much more fun because they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia, so for most of my family it was their first Thanksgiving. Josh made biscuits and a cheesecake (Polly's favorite) and we made stuffing and potatoes from scratch. It was fun just spending the time together making it, and I even got some time to explain to Shae the meaning of Thanksgiving. Liz and I were so afraid we were going to miss Thanksgiving so it was perfect that we got to celebrate with a crowd that we wouldn't normally get to share it with.

Josh and I on Clean Up Duty

Liz, Shae and Emily

Me, Shae and Emily

Polly and Kyra

Lex and Brooke also came over, and during the dinner we all said one thing we were thankful for. I teared up just a bit just saying how thankful I was for my mom. The food was delicious, it turned out perfectly. We took some time getting group photos of everyone together on Thanksgiving. All the aussies seemed to like Thanksgiving food. An hour or so later we had cheesecake (made by Josh), apple pie and ice cream and some tea. I just had a great time spending time with everyone I don't get to see often enough. The dinner was a huge success and I told Josh he has to carry on the tradition every year.

Melbourne City Day

Melbourne

Big Tree in the Botanical Gardens

On Wednesday, Emily, Liz and I took the metro into the city. Josh couldn't come because he had to work. It is really weird that the school year in Australia starts in January/February. When we arrived in the city we walked around central Melbourne. In the middle of the city there is a square surrounded by restaurants that has a huge TV at one side of it. Emily said that the city plays big AFL, cricket, and other sports games on the TV and everyone comes out and hangs out to watch. It seemed like a really good idea.

Emily and Liz at Gardens

Josh's Organic Bakery "Loafer Bread"

We went to the Queen Victoria Botanical Gardens near the middle of the city. The gardens were beautiful, and the views of the city were awesome from the gardens. There were so many roses it reminded me of England. We got some great pics and then headed back to the city center to grab one of "Melbourne's Best Pizzas." After lunch we walked past the square where a guy was performing. He pretended to be Indian and made a bunch of crude jokes to on-lookers and passers-by. Finally he admitted he was an Aussie, took off his turban and juggled flaming torches while laying on a bed of nails ten feet in the air. It was a cool show and he had a pretty good crowd for it. Liz and Emily didn't care about watching him but I was too interested to leave.

Giant TV in Melbourne Square

After the show we headed on the free Melbourne-city tram. We planned to go around the entire city only to find the tram broke down about five minutes after we got on. We decided to walk to on the Melbourne pedestrian shopping street that happened to be right on the way to Josh's bakery. There was a beautiful little church on the way that I got a few photos of. Another hot water bottle later, we were outside of the Melbourne Parliament building. We took the tram from there to Loafer Bread Bakery where Josh works. We grabbed a delicious afternoon tea consisting of lattes, hot chocolate, danishes and cookies, until Josh got off work. We took the metro back to Josh's and then Emily and Josh took us out to their favorite Portuguese chain restaurant Nandos. It was really delicious and then we headed home to watch some more Underbelly. I was seriously getting hooked on the show.

Liz and Emily at the Gardens Entrance

The next morning we spent playing with the kids and relaxing until Emily and Josh picked us up and we went grocery shopping for our big Thanksgiving dinner the next day. Then we went to see the Premier of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Liz and I were so stoked about it all day! We went with some of Emily's friends and Tara to grab some burgers before the show, and then grabbed some goodies once we got to the theater. The movie was amazing (as was expected)! We were also thrilled because we were 16 hours ahead of the U.S. in Australia so we were seeing it before it was even being released in the U.S. We all left the theater really wishing we didn't have to wait to see Part II.

Tuesday at Polly's

Sarris Family (Kyra, Luke, Shae, Polly and Jim)

Tuesday we just relaxed with Polly and the kids at home all day. My cousins are so adorable. They love to play, read and run around. Luke and Kyra can talk a little, but Shae (4 years old) is the brightest four year old I've ever been around. She is impressively aware of the world around her! She knows that there are different countries and that a lot of her family lives in America. She knows lots of stuff is made in China, and after reading about it with us, decided she wanted to climb the great wall of China. She also knows about Africa and is aware that Australia is an island. She is so adventurous. She talks about the places she wants to go see. More than anything, however, Shae loves flowers. Anytime she is outside she gravitates toward them, and likes to tell what kind of flower they are and notes the colors and the smells. Its the cutest thing! Liz and I took Shae on a walk for an hour or so and she told us all about the flowers along the walk.

After our walk we played on the trampoline before we ate dinner and were entertained by the eating habits of two year old Luke and Kyra. Kyra is a very tidy eater, but Luke tends to get about as much in his mouth as on his plate. We caught up on some more Underbelly after dinner.

Liz found out that her friend from high school had to come to Melbourne for work, and would have two weeks to travel after he finished his assignment. She decided that she wanted to stay in Australia after I left, and spend two more weeks traveling around. I won't be surprised if she ends up moving to Australia at some point, I think she really fell in love with it.

First Days in Melbourne

Front of Josh's House

Josh and Emily at Josh's House

Sunday morning we woke up we went to church with Polly, Jim and the kids. The church reminded me of my church at home. It was nice to be back at church since we hadn't gone to any services our entire trip. After church we went to my mom's cousin (Cynthia's) house and had a delicious lunch. We ate sausages, quiche, salad, homemade cheesecake and various other goodies. Cynthia is a wonderful cook. We learned a lot about the poisonous snakes in Australia from Cynthia's husband, Darren. We also saw my second cousins who I haven't seen in almost 20 years. After lunch we ran some errands with Jim and went back to Polly's where we lounged around and played with the little ones for the rest of the day.

Kyra

Monday morning was eventful. We slept in and had breakfast in the morning. I've gotten really into Weetbix since I have been in Australia, so I had that for breakfast. We played with the kids in the morning and then Emily came over and Liz and I went with her to Chadstone. Chadstone is said to be the biggest shopping mall in the southern hemisphere. We spent some time exploring it, had lunch, and then went and bought some hot water bottles. A hot water bottle is a rubber bag that is filled with really hot water and then closed. The rubber heats up, so it is like a heating bad. Liz is officially obsessed with hot water bottles. Almost every night, Liz would fill it up and carry it around with her. She decided she had to have some to take home so she bought about four of them at the mall. Its funny though, because I'm not sure if she'll use hot water bottles when she gets home. We've noticed that Australians don't like to use heating or air conditioning. When its cold a hot water bottle is an essential item because you don't have much heat. In the U.S. people use heat more often, so I'm not sure they would be used as much. Australians were shocked whenever we told them that there were no hot water bottles in the U.S.

After Chadstone we headed over to Josh's place. When he got home from school we headed to the store to get some food for dinner. We also bought some necessary items that we would need for our Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. It ended up being difficult to find everything we needed. Australian super markets only have turkeys during Christmas, so it took us a while to find one. We ended up getting a frozen one and deciding to defrost it over the next several days. The grocery store didn't have any stuffing, and the clerks looked at us like we were crazy when we asked for pumpkin in a can. We walked back to Josh's and watched some episodes of Underbelly. The show is about crime in Melbourne from 1994-2004 when over 30 people were killed in a gang war. The show is based on the true story and was really addictive. We ate dinner and then went with Emily, Josh and Tara (Emily's sister) to their Monday night netball game.

Emily Shooting in Netball

Netball is an Australian woman's sport similar to basketball, except there is no dribbling and a shorter net. Emily and Tara joined a community team that plays every Monday night, so we got to go and watch them play. It was a good game, but Emily's team lost in the end. We got some good footage of the game. Since the players can only hold the ball for three seconds, they have to think really fast on their feet. It was a cool to see a different sport being played.